More Than Human
by Saphizcool
Summary: Valeria, now enrolled in Cross Academy, was born with only half a heart, continually struggling in the world she now lives in. She ends up needing blood and Valeria is torn when she ends up falling in love with a vampire. What is her fate, and what bloody secrets does Cross Academy keep from her?
1. Prologue

_My name is Valeria. It's been 16 years since I was born and diagnosed with half a heart._

_I'm surprised that I have lived for this long. I should have been dead at birth. Sometimes I actually wonder if I'm on this earth for a reason, like there's a soulful higher purpose for my existence. Am I special, a person to change the world, to accomplish something extraordinary? Or am I just a misunderstood nobody who spends time daydreaming about how life could really be? My heart, well what's left of it, beats doesn't it? It doesn't just pump blood and oxygen throughout my body. It gives me the strength and capability to move forward. To me, life is a gift. And I don't intend on wasting it. _


	2. Frail Determination

_Summer. Oh joyful summer. _

I breathe in the fetid air that begins to the ruffle my tangled mahogany tendrils as I set foot into the grounds of Cross Academy.

Wow, it's just as majestic and mysterious during the night, but the atmosphere is eerie, and strangely sickening. Why does it strike such a throbbing arrow of fear in my heart?

Black iron gates were around the perimeter of two buildings; there goes the feeling of being held under captivity. The students aren't animals, so what's with the extra security?

Why was I sent here, to such a posh private school?

I wonder the same thing, those words have had an iron grip on my brain so damn hard I've felt like my head was going to break and explode.

A youth organisation sent me here hoping it would benifit my education, thinking that it would also be good for my mental health. It disgusts me people like them think so low of me.

I'm no different, I'm human, just like them, yet I'm continually treated like an outcast, like someone who doesn't truly belong.

Why can't I just be alone and shut off from the world?

Sometimes I just want to be completely isolated in my own little universe of fantasies and figments of my own imagination.

Realising that I was distracted by my thoughts, I slapped myself hard on the cheek.

That'll leave a bruise.

_Wake up, idiot._ _You're not gonna get anywhere if you continue to walk away from reality_.

_Focus._

I walked to the girls dormitory, not bothering to go to the head office. Why should I care? I'm too exhausted to speak or to even contemplate the matter of seeing another human being.

I needed to be alone. It was a neccessity.

I looked like a drunken idiot as I was trying to locate an empty room, my eyes fluttering with extreme tiredness. Geez, I hope I find a decent air-conditioned dorm, preferably with a soft floral bed with a mirrored wardrobe and someplace to practise my artistic skills.

My standards for things had always been particularly high.

Finally finding an empty area, I breathed with relief. Black satin sheets, a small wooden desk and dressing table, as well as a medium-sized wardrobe.

_Good enough._

Dropping my bags in an instant, I literally dived onto the bed with a feeling of glee. I had never felt so happy to plant my face into a pillow.

Then that feeling was abruptly replaced with utter dread as I examined my room.

Twisting my body to lie on my back, I looked intently with clouded vision.

A large golden vase contained a flock of red roses in it. Those types of flowers always give off an irresistable scent.

But the colour?

Red?

It's nothing but a chilling reminder, symbolism of who I really am.

Blood. Love.

Blood, because I don't have enough of it. It sickens me that I could drop dead at any moment..

As for love, well, I've never felt it. My family disappeared before I was born, so for the majority, I've been alone.

I don't know what it feels like to be loved, to be appreciated or praised or even complimented.

I'm human, yes, but I am not like anyone else.

_Maybe I deserve to be treated the way I do. _

My physical wellbeing is unpredictable. Blood and oxygen isn't circulated properly; although there is enough to keep me breathing, there is always a chance for my heart to fail.

_I have no purpose._

There always seems to be some sort of representation for each shattered and twisted piece of my life. I feel as though I'm constantly reminded of the negatives which keep pushing me towards that dark abyss.

_I just want to escape._

But would that ever change? Would this forever be my own distorted perpective of myself?

Sinking into a deep slumber, I prayed to God that I would never wake.

_Why me? Why was I born this way, with only half a heart?_

**Hope you enjoyed the first chapter! Yes, I know I didn't manage to write alot, but trust me, I will try my hardest not to disappoint you! xD Please review and favorite, that'd be great. I apologize if it took a bit longer than expected for me to update! :)**

**Until next time, **

_**Saphizcool**_


	3. Premonitions and Uncertainty

My room was the definition of obscurity. Blinking hard, desperate to see a spark of light, I still saw nothing but decaying blackness. Although it seemed as though I was going utterly blind, I spotted a shadow lurching across the floor, rising up and disappearing as it reached the ceiling.

_What the hell is this? Some sort of hallucination?_

I wasn't entirely sure whether this image was truly in front of my eyes or whether it was a part of a grotesque nightmare. Either way this was not a pleasant sight. The room twisted and turned, becoming much like one of those distorted mirrors you come by at a carnival, except this one was the opposite of fun.

I began to feel my body rise above the ground like some sort of paranormal activity, not being able move nor feel anything but goosebumps rising on my arms and a cold shiver of fear run down my spine . In that instant, I felt trapped. I had lost all touch and feeling, slowly descending into a cage within my own mind. If this was a dream, why did it feel so real?

And then I felt _pain. _A slice, a rapid tearing of muscle and flesh was sharp, electrifying every single nerve throughout my body. I could almost feel someone digging and twisting a knife deep between my breasts, directly where the remains of my heart lay. It was the most excruciating pain I had ever felt, and what was worse was the inevitable voice that echoed inside my head.

_Terrifying, isn't it? To see how ugly you are on the inside. _

_You wretched human. You are not mortal, you are something much more beastly, even more so than a vampire would be. You are not a being that is worthy of life. _

_You are a monster, one who shall devour blood and life for the sake of your own. You think you deserve to be on this earth? _

_You were damned to Hell from the very beginning. _

No... Who's thoughts were these? My own, or someone else's? Is there someone else inside my head, or is it my alter-ego? So many questions that will never be answered...

My heart, was high above my head, but it was still beating and instead of being a small piece, it was whole. The room, now bursting with light, concluded that I was the only dead thing left. The shadows had gone, and so had the intense pain, which was now replaced with a dull throb.

Seconds away from death, my eyes closed.

I awoke on the icy floor covered in sweat. I was shaking, my breathing ragged, my clammy hands gripping the area where my heart was ripped out.

"Shit." I breathed in a husky whisper. Such horror I had dreamt... Was it a sign, a premonition of the future, or just plain nonsense? Still in utter shock, I wasn't in the mood for contemplating the idea too much.

It took me a few minutes to fully recover, as my head was throbbing and my body was burning up, both from anger and fear and sadness and even anticipation. I was furious because I wondered why God would let such a demon take control over me. I was upset because of how many thoughts were rising inside my head right now, ones that are most likely to never to be answered. Fear arose because, well what if this truly did mean something? What if I am just a beast that is ravenous for life and power? I know dreams can be just a mixture of things that appear randomly, but is it possible for it to be true?

There are things I anticipate too. For a dream to be that intense, it must have some significance. Something has to happen.

Finally on my two feet, I walked into my dorm bathroom.

I sighed.

Grabbing my hair brush, I dragged it through my hair effortlessly. Feeling too tired to even attempt fixing up my appearance from scratch, I jumped into the shower and stood under the running water.

Thoughts clouded my mind as much as steam was clouding my vision and inhaled by my nostrils, the boiling water slightly burning my skin. I turned the knob to prevent the water from flowing any more, suddenly feeling a lot better than I was.

Wrapping a towel around my body and hopping slowly out of the shower box, I eyed the mirror with tired eyes. In this dim light, they appeared grey and lifeless, just as much as my complexion was pale and my hair was tangled and bland. My wet hair dripped water droplets onto the glassy floor, more also on my neck and collarbone, gleaming like diamonds.

I was looking at my face as though it were a strangers and not my own.

_Who the hell am I?_

**Hello again! Sorry for the late update! I get writers block often so I have to blast my ears with some heavy rock music for inspiration. XD Anyway I hope you liked this chapter. I know the story is going fairly slow at the moment, but I guess that's the point...To keep you readers guessing and thinking about what's going to happen... **

**Well the thing is I don't even know what's going to happen! LOL I just write whatever comes to mind, so don't ask how this story is going to end because I have NO IDEA! XP**

**Feel free to PM me, I don't bite...much. **

_**Saphizcool**_


	4. You Took My Breath Away

The Cross Academy uniform was as dark as my mood, the only hint of colour a choking red bow that wrapped around the front of my collar.

Sometimes I think that I've spent the majority of my life staring in front of a mirror, both admiring and criticising myself, thinking of all the positives and negatives, even wishing that I was somebody else. Now, with that nightmare continually haunting my mind, I still wonder.

First day of classes and I still haven't registered properly. I probably should go see the Headmaster, if I manage to find his office. I'm terrible finding my way. Shaking my hair out, I applied a bit of lip gloss, threw my handbag over my shoulder, and bolted out of my dorm.

Breathing in the fresh summer air, I smiled with relief. Well, at least there's something not so dull around here, I thought. My dorm was almost like a machine that sucked out all of my air supply, almost completely tightening my airways and suffocating me. I feel so much less constricted outdoors. The chains that bind me break free.

Sauntering around the school grounds, I looked around. Roses, roses everywhere. Ugh, I thought. Do I attract bad luck or something? I mean this is ridiculous! First I have a disturbing dream, then I wonder who the hell I am and get the feeling that I might need to rent an oxygen tank, and lastly, I'm completely lost in a maze of utter confusion.

"Shoot." I muttered. I kept walking, beginning to get a sharp pain rise in my chest. Dammit! I can't even walk a certain distance without my heart rate and breathing playing up. It's similar to a kind of asthma attack, but worse with the condition I have. I don't even know why I'm here. If I was so incapable, why was I sent to a bloody boarding school? Maybe I should have been shoved in a hospital bed. But then again, those ghost white walls would have been enough to drive me insane.

Suddenly I locked eyes with a boy who was nearly double my height, his eyes an alluring lavender and his silver hair ruffled.

"Hi, oh thank God I found someone. I thought I could ask you for some directions to the Headmaster's office You see, I-"

"The next building on your right." He cut me off, no longer looking at me but at the ground. I wondered why. Rocks and stones aren't interesting.

"Oh, um, thanks." I breathed, turning my back on the boy.

"I'm Valeria by the way." I added. He was motionless and almost intimidating,while I was standing there with my hand against my heart, taking slow, deep breaths.

"Hey are you alright?" He asked, now looking intently into my large baby blue irises. His muscular body moved an inch closer, and he was now stretching his arm out to touch my quivering hand.

"Yeah, I'm ok. It's just a little bit of breathing trouble, I'm fine." I smiled,trying to seem convincing.

The truth was, I wasn't. An attack like this hasn't happened for about a week now, but that wasn't the problem. It was the fact that the pain was more intense, the fact that it affected every single nerve in my body instead of just my heart. I felt the weakening of muscles, skin burning up then going ice cold, the fluttering of eyelashes as drowsiness began to kick in.

Oh no. Vision become a blur. Blackness seeped in.

I fell.

**Well, I guess her breath was taken away. Literally. XD Haha hello again! I am SO SORRY for the late update! I currently have a fair bit going on these holidays, plus most of the time my parents don't really allow me to use my laptop, so yeah, don't worry I am not backing out on this story. I promise you guys, I'm gonna keep writing! Just be patient! Thank you for reviewing and supporting me by the way, it's really helpful and makes me want to write even more!**

**Byeeee**

_**Saphizcool**_


	5. Captivation

I awoke to nothing but a ridiculously bright light. For a second I thought I was dead and walking up to the gates of heaven. But I wasn't. I realised that I as I eyed a blurry sign that identified itself as "Infirmary". Someone must of carried me here. Was it that boy? I couldn't even remember his face.

"Well, might I say you are very pretty when you are sleeping." I heard a voice, and turned my throbbing head. A man with glasses and long hair tied back smiled at me cheerfully, almost too cheerfully...to the point where it was actually creeping me out.

"Finally you're awake." He sighed. I rolled my eyelids. I just collapsed from an asthma attack for Gods sake. Do I not get an ounce of sympathy?

"I'm Kaien Cross, in case you don't know. I'm the Headmaster of this academy." He got straight to the point. I was still extremely tired so I wasn't sure how long I would be able to bear his awfully high-pitched voice.

"Uh, great. I'm a new student here, so-"

"Oh, I already knew that. I knew you were transferring here so don't worry about filling me in on the details. I have all the information you will need right here." He handed me a thick book with a large rose crest on the front. It gave me the impression that it must be some sort of rulebook. I sighed. I hated rules.

"No, if what you're thinking is what I think you're thinking, then you're wrong. It's not just a rulebook, my dear. It's classified information." He spoke very seriously now, his bubbly tone vanishing into thin air. Classified information? Ok, why am I being given this? I'm no secret agent.

"Well, ok, then what is it?" I asked, curiosity frying my brain cells to the point where it was hurting badly.

"I'll tell you once you're feeling better. When you're ready, meet me in my office."

I looked at him with a puzzled face. He started to laugh hysterically. Why did his exploding happiness bother me so much? Was it because I wanted to be that person too? To be able to smile without having the burden of being at risk of death at any moment? I guess that's just it. I just long to be happy.

"Don't worry, you won't get lost this time. It's right down the hall."

I managed to successfully stand on my two feet without stumbling over. I popped a few aspirins and felt fine after a few minutes, gulping down an ice-cold glass of water afterwards. I felt a tad nervous as I walked through the hall. It was so wide and strangely sinister, like there was a presence there that I had no knowledge of. Like _something_ was watching me.

Reaching the door, I opened it with quivering fingertips. Why was I so afraid? What could Kaien be wanting me to know, or help him with? Is it something illegal, something that the school or the government doesn't know about?

The room was dark, although I could see Kaien sitting silently behind his desk, two candles lit beside him. Another man was standing next to him; his skin was pale, almost flawless, his hair shoulder-length brown locks. He wore a white uniform identical to my own. I swear to God his eyes have a glowing tint of red in them, I thought, but quickly brushing it off as I sat down on the chair in front of Kaien. He was the total opposite of how he was with me before, like he had a split personality or something. This room gave me a strange, unsettling aura. What was it? I felt like I was in the presence of danger, like I was prey and my predator wasn't far.

"Nice to see you again, Valeria." Kaien greeted me with a face that was anything but a smile.

"Yeah, you too. Um, why am I here?" I asked, my brain bombarded with questions demanding answers. The Headmaster was holding an ink pen, doodling notes on his notebook, perhaps recording events for a reason I was hesitant to ask.

"Well first of all, I would like to introduce you to my friend. Kaname Kuran." He gestured a hand in a respectful manner, speaking his name the way a knight or peasant would refer to his sovereign. Kaname stood in a perfect posture, as if he was a king himself, smiling at me tenderly.

"Hello, Valeria. It is a pleasure to meet you." Kaname spoke, his words were as soft a silk, almost too soft. He was either trying his best to make a good impression on himself or maybe he's always genuinely kind. I felt goosebumps rise the hair on my arms as he walked closer towards me, getting down on his knee the way a prince would in a fairy-tale, and cupped my cheek. Ice cold skin made me flinch, his eyes melting into mine. Yes, I could see it now. His eyes were red. Blood red.

"Whoa." I muttered, equally confused and in awe. Kaname Kuran was just as creepy as the Headmaster, or this entire campus in general.

"Valeria, Do not be afraid. Kaien Cross and I are working together to further bring together coexistence." He was speaking in riddles. Coexistence? Between who? Why? What is going on? I remained silent, still fixated on his ruby irises and thick eyelashes. This amount of beauty is absolutely incredible. Kaname was gorgeous, well, despite his eyes being as illuminate as glow sticks. It was as if he was reading my mind, because he beamed me a smile of pearly white teeth. I gulped. I wasn't sure whether I felt like trembling in fear or smiling with enthusiasm.

"Between vampires and humans. That is our goal." Kaien said in a hopeful tone. Vampires? This can't be right. Vampires don't exist, it's just folklore...

"Valeria, they are real. They are beasts in human form who lust for human blood." Kaname explained, but I still could not believe what they were filling my head with.

"So, let me get this straight. You want humans and vampires to live peacefully together? Ok, well, It wouldn't work. You wouldn't be able to control them or set boundaries for them. If they did end up craving blood, how could you stop them? Anyway, I don't believe this bull crap. I don't even get why you want me here." With my rant over, I stood up and began walking towards the exit.

"Valeria. We are not speaking nonsense. We simply wanted to ask you a favour." Kaname said, gripping my shoulder with his slender fingers. Why did he keep saying my name in such a soft tone? His eyes were so captivating I felt like I was being drawn towards his wishes, as if some psychic power was controlling my decisions. Reluctant, I gave in without another word.

"We need you to help a student of mine. Don't worry, your condition won't affect your duties. All you are required to do is patrol the night and protect our Day Class students from harm." Kaien gave me more information on the task. I was not following. Patrol? Protect? Isn't there any responsible teachers who can do this stuff? That is one thing I cannot do. It's too much. I'm too weak.

My eye sight was suddenly playing up on me again, my head pounding, dizziness increasing and a hot metallic taste on my tongue. It was like a form of drowsiness, spacing out completely, like a warped day dream.

"Go back to your dorm room for some rest." Kaname instructed.

"Um, ok then." I agreed, walking out the door and taking the handbook with me. As I did so, I could swear I heard them whisper something.

"She will know soon."


	6. Curiosity Almost Killed The Cat

When I got back to my dorm, I swore a miracle happened. There was no breathing difficulty, so sign or symptoms of physical pain. It was as if some kinda of magic spell was put on me, because usually in this case I would be almost hyperventilating. It made me wonder what the heck was really going on in the Headmaster's office, but then again it felt good to feel stronger.

Instead of exhausting my brain, I sat on the floor and immediately opened the book the Headmaster had given me. Opening the book with raging curiosity, I read the words out loud.

"_Vampire Society – The World of Vampires That Humans Don't Know About."_

"_Vampires are residents of the world of darkness. They have an unknown biology, a mysterious society and many, many secrets. There are few civilians who know the truth about the vampire world. Vampires were born in ancient times, and they are beings who are different from humans. They look like humans, but their canine teeth have developed into fangs to drink blood. Their vitality is amazingly strong. They live long, and there are those who have been living for over 3000 years. In recent years, there are vampires who have taken advantage of their attractive looks, physical abilities and brains to work among humans in fields like sport, politics and business. Because vampires are superior in all areas, they can hide their existence from humans."_

The book was fairly informative for it to be fiction. I kept reading.

"_They love human blood. They have intelligence and power that surpass human understanding."_

I cringed. It was making me sick.

"_The origin of vampires, how vampires are born..."_

Why couldn't I take my eyes away from the words? I was being drawn to it like a moth to a flame.

I read about the differences between the Day Class and the Night Class, the fundamentals of coexistence, what the vampires who support pacifism do, the senate, the different type of vampire ranks, ones of royal blood and ones who are a danger and must be killed off. One I found the most intriguing was the Purebloods; the rarest kind of vampire, the only kind of vampire who can turn a human into one of them.

Looking at the diagram of the vampire monarchy, I spotted a man in a black and white photograph, sitting in a large black thrown. His eyes were the kind of eyes that you just look into and you just know; I could never have mistaken him.

"Kaname Kuran." I breathed. There was also text next to the picture.

_Kaname Kuran, our king. He is almighty among us all. With power like God, he is a vampire like no other. A Pureblood of the Kuran family, one of society's most powerful and intelligent immortals, who withhold the most undeniable beauty. Their blood is also one of a kind, a substance that contains the key to healing wounds, powers and abilities, mind control and even being able to live forever. We, as a society, will always remain loyal to the majestic Kurans. However, this family also has a large history of bloodshed, so at the same time we have learned to keep our distance._

Kaname is a Pureblood...But if that is so, why was my fear washed away? I should be afraid, but I keep thinking about his kindness...And all this is an information overload. Ok, maybe it is true, I mean, I watched a TV show once about these people who actually drank blood and did all this crazy voodoo and spells and stuff.

Anything is possible, but still, I'd like further proof that this school really does have vampires in the building across from us. Starting tonight, I'm going to get a closer look.

I breathed with ease below the midnight sky and sparkling stars, holding a flash-light steadily in front of me. Since they're beasts, I wouldn't be surprised if I saw them roaming around here after daylight. I've read enough to know how to lure one right to me. I took a switch blade knife that I always kept in my pocket for safety reasons, and placed the shining metal against my wrist.

"Here I go..." I whispered, and sliced. Shedding a little blood should be enough. I whimpered in pain, biting my bottom lip so hard I thought it was going to pour with blood as well. The wound on my wrist was bright scarlet, dripping down my hand and across my fingertips; it bothered me because it was so incredibly bright. Blood is usually a dark dull red, right? Not vibrant and thick.

Oops. Maybe I cut a bit too deep. It was stinging like hell.

An abrupt rustle of grass and bushes immediately switched my guard on. Something was here. I got the same feeling as I did last night, but instead of a rushing wave of heat, I felt a strong, chilly gust that knocked me onto the ground, hard. My feet were beginning to fall asleep.

No, they were frozen. Ice caved in around me, chilling me to the core.

"Well, look what the icy wind blew down." A boys playful voice echoed throughout the cold air.

"W-Who a-are y-y-you?" I shivered, struggling to force the words out of my pale lips.

"You smell delightful, by the way. I was just about to choke down some of those disgusting blood tablets, but then I caught your scent and I changed my mind. I like to treat myself to something special every now and then, especially if it's rich, mouth-watering _human blood_." He laughed.

Blood tablets. I had read a small passage on those. The vampires took them as an alternative replacement for human blood. But what gets on my nerves is if the vampires here really wanted peace with us humans, then why is one trying to attack me? I was shivering now, my temperature dropping rapidly.

"Oh, I'm sorry." He apologised in a sarcastic voice. He was closer to me now, no longer a shadow in the darkness, so I could see his face clearly now. His eyes were ocean blue, his face pale and his hair a curly honey blond.

Just as flawless as Kaname.

"Allow me to introduce myself. I am Aido Hanabusa. But since you are such a sweet young lady, you can call me Aido." He strolled towards me as he spoke, raising a hand to remove the ice and baring his teeth with a cackle and another grin. Aido then grabbed my wrist with an iron grip, dragging me up so my face smacked against his chest and my hand was touching his soft lips.

"S-Stop." That is all I could manage to utter under my breath; I was still weak and shaking from the ice. I didn't expect this, to be sucked dry by the fangs of a beast.

"Hey, I mean you no harm. I only wanted one taste, geez." His tongue was lavishing my wound on my wrist, and the pain became excruciating as he sucked on it. Penetrating my skin with his teeth, I couldn't hold back any more.

I screamed.

Aido surrendered suddenly, as if he could sense an intruder nearby. A gunshot was fired, and it bloody hurt my sensitive ears. It missed Hanabusa by a few inches unfortunately, but something gave me the impression that it was deliberate.

"Get your filthy hands off her. Now." I heard a husky voice that I swore I had heard before.

"Well now, it has been quite a while, hasn't it? _Zero Kiryu_?" Aido replied with amusement. Zero? Strange name, kinda of depressing, actually. Zero is a number that means nothing, that you have nothing, or have been given nothing. But at the same time, it was unique and it intrigued me.

Another gunshot. God, that dude was cocky. On top of that he was the exact opposite of anyone I have seen yet at this academy. He dressed like he didn't know how; his tie was out of place, half of his buttons were undone, his silver hair was ruffled and he had hunks of dirt on the side of his face. Obviously he does not know how to take care of himself nor does he give a damn. I guess that is, in a way, how I would like to be. Careless, but at the same time, someone who can love themselves wholeheartedly. What was stopping me?

"Yeah, well, I'm not happy about seeing another one of you blood-thirsty animals again. Don't piss me off, or you'll seriously regret it. I'm in a bad mood." Zero glared at him with hateful eyes, and it finally struck me that he was trying to protect me.

"Hey, just leave Aido. I just want to see the Headmaster." I said, hoping a guy as stubborn as him would listen. Well, he seemed like the type of guy who wouldn't take any crap from anyone. I could tell just by looking at him. His attitude. I liked that.

"Fine." Zero agreed, holding his large metal gun to Aido's forehead. I stood up, feeling strangely fine. I stood beside Zero, holding his arm without realising.

"Go back to the Night Class, or I swear I will blow your head off without a single regret." He threatened.

"Pfft, fine. You're such a party-pooper, Kiryu. I just wanted to have some fun."

And just like that, he was gone. Maybe I should have a gun loaded on me for situations like these.

"Be more careful next time, ok?" Zero spoke, looking directly into my eyes. I felt uncomfortable for a second there. He suddenly noticed my self harm, and stared at me, giving me an angry snarl.

"Wait, what the hell where you doing?" He demanded. I don't think he realised that I was out here vampire hunting. He probably just thought I was out on a midnight jog.

"I-I wanted to see if a vampire was real." I stammered, feeling like laughing at how completely stupid I sounded.

"Idiot! You could have gotten killed, you know?!" He snapped.

"I-I know." I replied, dropping my gaze to the ground. He sighed, took my wrist gently, and wrapped his tie around my wound.

"Ok, you know what, just forget it. I'll take you to the Headmaster." He said.

**Longest chapter so far! Phew, this has been so fun to write! I've actually got quite a few ideas brainstormed at the moment. **

**I hope you are all enjoying this story. Thank you so much to those who reviewed or just read the fic! :)**

_**Saphizcool**_


	7. A Beast In Human Form

"I believe it all now." I said amid the scent of melting strawberry candles. I felt really bad for doubting them, especially Kaname.

Zero had been by my side all night, teasing the way my tangled hair looked in the breeze and poking and pushing me when I wouldn't walk fast enough; I would whack him in the gut, hard. He kept glancing at me every now and then too, making sure I wasn't lying about being ok. I was telling the truth though, and that surprised me, since I usually lied about my well being and locked up all those painful, daunting feelings inside.

"Well, that's music to my ears. Now you can be with Kiryu on the disciplinary committee!" Kaien sang happily.

"Excuse me, what?" The amount of burning curiosity that has spun my head in circles the last few days has made me feel completely dumb. I guess I really don't know as much as I thought.

"The disciplinary committee." He repeated.

"Why don't you explain, Zero?"

Zero shot another cold glare at Kaien, then directing his gaze at me, his eyes swirling pools of fiery lilac.

"It's a team of certain students that have a duty to protect the humans in the Day Class from those bloodsucking vermin in the Night Class. I am the only doing it at the moment, ever since..." He trailed off, sticking his hands in his pockets. He seemed like he was being tormented by a few painful memories. I tried not to stare.

"Oh, I get it. But why me, Kaien? Why was I chosen to do this?" I asked.

"Well, Valeria, I don't really know exactly. Kaname suggested this, I just went along with it. Who knows, maybe he has some plan of his own, as all Purebloods do." He babbled on. I was getting frustrated, but my growing curiosity was only going to get myself in dangerous situations. Maybe it's better if I just cut it out and wait for the answers to come to me.

I looked at the blood-stained bandage that was wrapped carefully around my wound. I unravelled the white cotton to reveal nothing but a simple graze. Strange. How did it heal so quickly?

"Excuse me I-I have to go...Somewhere..." Zero said as he bolted out the door. What was up with him? He's suddenly jumpy and sensitive. I should go see if he's alright.

"Yeah, I have something to do too. Bye! And I'm game, Headmaster!" I waved. The hall seemed to go on forever as I ran, thoughts of Zero clouding my mind. As long as I'm with someone like him, I'll fulfil Kaien's wishes.

Despite his idiotic ways, I could see that deep down Zero had a part of him that really cared for people, a soft and gentle side that many people would refuse to recognise. He was cold on the outside, but I knew that he had a reason for pushing people away.

The things we all go through in the past all make us who we are now.

I kept running until I could see the bright amber light of dawn, hearing ragged panting in a nearby hay shed. I passed a grey horse that was nibbling contently on the grass, taking a peek inside the shed. On the dusty ground, sputtering and coughing like a sick child, Zero was writhing in excruciating pain, gasping for precious air.

"Zero!" I screamed, dashing towards him, cupping his face tenderly.

"Piss off!" He spat, throwing me against the metal wall, dull pain shooting through my skull.

"No...not...while...you're...like...this! Tell me what's wrong...so I can help you!" I demanded.

"Don't come any closer. I mean it! I'll hurt you." Zero begged. I refused to listen. I couldn't just leave him here defenceless and weak and in pain!

"You don't understand, Valeria!" His voice was getting louder, harsher, to the point where it was making me tremble.

"Then make me understand!" I replied. I grabbed his wrists, and pushed him as hard as I could, using all the body weight I could muster. Even though I was as thin as a twig, he was against the wall, but not for long; he twisted my arm and whipped me around in a split second, knocking me to the ground and pinning me against the floor. Shit, he was strong.

_They have intelligence and power that surpass human understanding._

Why was that sentence from that book popping up in my mind?

I couldn't move. My body was being crushed by his, hypnotised by his eyes.

His eyes...

They were red. _Blood red._

No...Is he...A former human...? One who is uncontrollably lusting for blood...? I thought Zero was human. I knew he had problems but I never thought he could have been hiding this secret.

"Zero, you're better than this. Stop. You're not this person. You're kind. You care. Please...Stop...Ow..."

I was shaking under his mercy, starting to lose my breath. His face was planted in the crook of my neck, his tongue running over my flesh again and again, as if he was savouring the moment, as if my blood was something undeniably special.

His fangs grazed my skin, slowly and gently, then fast and rough, until he plunged his fangs into my throat the way a lion would attack it's prey. I was the victim, and Zero was the predator.

I could feel my blood being absorbed by him, my own body begin to weaken from the blood loss.

Suddenly he stopped. Zero almost forcefully threw himself away from me, distancing himself as far away as physically possible.

"Valeria...I..." He mumbled between ragged breathing. Fangs protruded from his lips, blood splattered all over his mouth and down his chin. This is the true nature of a vampire.

"Sorry" was all he could say.

I burst into tears.

"It's ok."


	8. Realisation

I was dropping to the ground in tears, my head buried in my quivering hands, my heart pounding with shock and fear and another indescribable feeling I couldn't quite put my finger on; I honestly wondered why, I mean I hadn't known Zero for very long, yet I couldn't help but feel a strong emotional pull towards him, a force that almost took control of me. I didn't feel like myself; if I did not know of vampires and their existence, I would have run for my life by now. I would have erased the heart wrenching horror that was in front of me and just _ran_.

He was covering his face with bloody hands in shame, baring his teeth and refusing to conceal his fiery rage. He walked towards the opposite end of the stable, making sure his blood-thirsty eyes didn't lock with mine. He didn't repetitively apologise and come up to comfort me as I thought he would, just bolted as fast as lighting, leaving me in the midst of confusion once again.

Why didn't he tell me any of this? If he was craving blood so much, why didn't he try taking those blood tablets? Why couldn't he tell me who he really was? Was he afraid? Does Zero think I'm afraid? Wait, what if the Headmaster didn't know about this? Surely he wouldn't want a vampire anywhere near the Day Class students, especially one like Zero. One who loses control.

Wait...Kaname. He could help him.

A cold fear struck me as stood in front of the Moon dorm; I could still smell the sickening blood that was trickling down past my collarbone now. I knocked on the door eagerly.

"Hello." Kaname greeted. His eyes flashed red as he saw my wound, touching my shoulder and insisting that I came inside. The interior was massive for a dormitory; it was almost like a castle. Glassy floorboards, a big crystal chandelier, a flight of stairs that swirled around the to the forth storey...A large open space like this would be the ideal place for me, but sadly I was an unwelcome guest to the vampires who lived here. I hoped that they wouldn't come running once they smelt my blood. But then again, despite the distress, I felt safe around Kaname.

"Are you alright? Who wounded you?" He asked with a look of concern, gesturing me to sit down on an overly large black leather sofa. Expensive.

"I-It was an accident. It wasn't supposed to happen-" I paused, breaking down again.

Wait...No...I can't tell Kaname. Remember the powers the Kurans were capable of. If Kaname found out that Zero had hurt me, even if it wasn't intentional, he might do something vile to Zero. Or worse...He might even kill him.

"Tell me who did this to you." He said, his voice as soft as silk, as calm as an ocean.

"I-I couldn't see their face. They just fed on me and bolted before I got the chance. Sorry." I felt my lies were getting through to him. I stood up. He looked bewildered, and a tad annoyed.

"I-I-I'm sorry, but I have to leave now." I stuttered.

Kaname pushed me gently back onto the seat.

"No, rest for a bit, my dear." He said, like it was some sort of command.

Candles blew out. Dizziness arose for like the tenth time now, my head drooping and vision clouding up. I heard a whisper, like a chant, and then an acidic taste on my tongue. I spat, waving my arms frantically and suddenly falling back into consciousness again. Kaname was gone, like he vanished into thin air.

Ok, this was starting to really get peculiar. Every single time I was around Kaname, I got dizzy spells as well as something else. Could it be a drug? No, Kaname would never do that to me... but if so, what was he protecting me from, or what was his secret agenda? I was so sick of this, sick of the continuous unanswered questions. Will there ever be answers?

I was darting across the entire campus now, hoping I would find Zero. Obviously Kaname was not going to be of use. Progressing towards the girls dorm, I decided that it would be wiser to wait until tomorrow morning to see him. I don't want to be out all night like I was yesterday.

In my stifling room, I looked in my mirror with wide eyes. The bite mark was half gone, like it had faded. That settles it. I remembered the cut on my wrist too, how that had healed and left no scar...

Kaname has to have done something.

I snatched the vampire guidebook, clawing at the pages until I found what I was looking for.

I read.

"_Their blood is one of a kind, a substance that contains the key to healing wounds, powers and abilities, mind control and even being able to live forever."_

That's it. Kaname must be mind controlling me and feeding me his blood for his own selfish gain. I shouldn't have trusted him. I _ can't _trust him now. I should have listened to my gut! Damn, I can be so naive and stupid!

Forget Kaname, there's only one person I can trust now.

Class dragged on and one the next day, which didn't surprise me, it just bored the absolute crap out of me. After a hard day and night, my first period consisted of numbers and algebraic equations. I scowled. I hated maths, I'd much rather write an English essay right now...

"Ok class, we are beginning this lesson with a quick test. Please keep quiet as I handout your test sheets." The teacher droned on.

I sighed. Well, this will be fun.

Out the door before the teacher could realise I was gone, I returned my school books to my locker and headed to Zero's dorm. I knew where it was because I had asked one of the other boys in my class. I tapped on the door even though it was unlocked.

No reply. He probably knows that it's me.

I opened the squeaking door, peering at Zero with curious eyes. He was on his bed lying on his back.

And he was holding that Bloody Rose gun to his temple.

"NO!" I pounced, aggressively snatching the shot gun and throwing it across the other side of the room, smashing something in the progress. I stared at Zero with eyes of fire.

"What the hell where you doing?!" I was almost screaming, but I didn't care.

"Nothing." He replied, looking at anything but my face.

"Why are you so consumed by self-hatred Zero!? Why!? You're not the only one who has things they hate about themselves, you know? You think you're alone in this world but you're not! I'm here Zero, I always will be whether you like it or not! It doesn't matter how you feel just don't kill yourself, please, I really care about you ok? I don't know why I do but I just do! You are not alone! I know we haven't known each other for long but...but that's besides the point! I care, Zero, and until you realise that, don't say another word." I was gasping for breath.

I was balling my eyes out. I could feel his pain, his hatred, his sadness, every ounce of pain he had, I could feel it pulsing throughout my entire body. I fell onto his chest, and his arms suddenly were wrapping around my body, his hands touching my shoulders, my neck, caressing my face, holding me as though I was as fragile as an ice sculpture.

He looked at me compassionately, his eyes saying more than his words ever could.

And his lips touched mine.


	9. Sacrifice

Burning brighter, hotter, more powerful with every new touch, every movement, every new exploration, was the kiss. It consumed me with a warm fuzzy feeling I had never felt before. It was a feeling like joy, a feeling that stayed and only intensified, a feeling that is the most indescribable and most amazing feeling you could ever be gifted with.

Love. It has to be.

I've read about it in romantic novels and watched those kisses in the rain in romantic films, but I had never experienced it before. Now that it utterly brought me to life, I craved it like the sweet aroma of chocolate, like the precious hours sleep in the morning, like the refreshing taste of water after a sprint, more than anything that I have ever felt. It was setting my heart ablaze.

"Z-Zero..." I panted, breaking away in sudden realisation of what was actually happening in front of my gleaming eyes. Zero had a look of shock and disgust across his face, like he had committed something unforgivable, like it was a crime.

"I don't know why I did that-" He was holding back his own words.

My black boots hit the floor, and I backed away slowly towards the exit, not taking my eyes away from him. I guess I do have strong feelings for him at this point. The trouble was biting the bullet while having so many other problems to sort out... I didn't understand why Kaname was my personal blood bag, but one thing is certain, I won't be his puppet again.

Glass shattered beneath my feet. I crouched, picking up the photo that was smashed by my justified act, almost dropping it in awe. Zero and a girl who looked about my age were together for what looked to be school graduation; Zero had a small smile across his lips, while the girl had a large grin, like she was the happiest girl in the world. Jealousy hit me like a punch to the face.

"W-Who is she?" I asked. Zero looked sad and disturbed, like he was being flooded with a bag full of knife-stabbing memories.

"A friend. It was a long time ago. Y-Yuki is...did...she disappeared long ago." He struggled to pronounce her name. Although I sympathised deeply for him, I was relieved that they weren't 'together'. I didn't press him for more information, since the subject of that girl was obviously very touchy to him.

It's funny how a kiss can be easily forgotten with conversation. I smiled behind a curtain of hair, hoping to keep it that way for now. Before leaving the room, I thought I would ask just one more question that I have been wondering ever since I met him.

"Zero, what do you think of...Kaname Kuran?"

Zero flinched as if he was wounded in the chest with a wooden steak. It seemed to me that there were many things that brought him pain at this Academy. Just like me.

"He's a rotten, filthy, manipulative _bastard_" was all that escaped from his rosy lips. I opened my mouth to say something else, but I was afraid to spark his anger.

"Pushing that aside Zero I...I think you need someone to help you with all your problems. Like I could. Maybe I could help you with your blood lust, so you don't feed on innocent people and-"

"No!" He yelled, like someone had flipped a dangerous switch. I stood motionless, unable to understand why he wouldn't let me help him.

"I-If nothing is done, you'll just fall to insanity...And I don't want that to happen to you." Doesn't he want to live? Doesn't he value his life at all?

"Then so be it." His words cut deep, and I could feel myself begin to break again. Zero was the only person I was close to at this school; he made me feel alive. Girls glared at me, guys never looked at me; I only got a friendly hello or ounce of support every now and then. Kaname scares me now too, like he's a kind of tarantula that could act at any moment.

Can't Zero understand that he is really all I have left? He reminds me of myself, and he makes me feel strong, like I have something in life to look forward to.

I couldn't take this sinking feeling in my gut. I felt the worst was yet to come and that I had to do something about it. Whether he likes it or not, I'm not going to let him die or fall into a pit of madness.

I have a plan.

"Zero, I'm sorry."

* * *

Amid a soft melody of piano music filling my ears, I push my way through the large crowd of preoccupied students, feeling more invisible than ever. Thoughts overflowed in my head, images of Zero, his fangs, his eyes, and Kaname, his gentle nature that was strangely overpowering to core. What did Zero have against him? No, maybe it's best if I just try to stay out of his problems,, because I'll just add to my own.

"Valeria." I could hear Kaname's voice lingering in the air behind me.

"What?" I said, ripping out my earplugs. I was not in the mood.

"I just want to talk about what happened." He sounded desperate, his eyes glowing with concern. Ugh, why so much concern? He barely knows me.

"Fine, but hurry up. I need to get to class. And please..." I said. "Don't feed me lies."

"No." He replied. "I will be honest."

"Well?" I was deliberately letting my bitchy side out.

"The only reason I gave you my blood was due to the fact that you needed to be protected. You were weak. I could feel your weakened heart beat. You needed what I gave you."

I coughed.

"Excuse me, _gave me_? You forced it down my bloody throat! Without my permission and using your tainted powers, I might add!" I snapped, getting furious now.

"It was the only way." He attempted comforting me with the palm of his cool hand against my flushed cheek, but I knocked it off violently.

"Oh, so there was no way you could have simply asked me? 'Oh Valeria would it be alright if I fed you my blood?'. Obviously you do not know proper etiquette."

"No, listen to me. If you accepted my blood consciously, it would have killed you. Drinking Pureblood blood that way can be a danger. Since I have not a single drop of human blood in my lineage, it would have altered your heart rate. Force was the only way."

It does not matter what the reason. The fact is, he is hiding something from me, something big. Why else would he take such a sudden interest in my life, about whether I live or die? It doesn't matter, he had no right in hell to toy with my head, even if it was for the greater good.

I stormed off in the opposite direction, running until I could no more.

* * *

Zero was on the concrete next to the schools swimming pool, anxiously trying to choke down what looked like a packet of blood tablets and writhing in undeniable pain. His body must be rejecting them. This is it, I know what I have to do. Getting on my knees, I frantically searched the ground for something sharp.

There. A stone with a cutting edge. Perfect.

Holding it steadily against the back of my arm, I braced myself as I sliced all the way down to my wrist. _Across the road, not down the river_...That saying lurched in my head as tears stung my eyes and wet my lashes. I knew I would heal but still, there was always the possibility of bleeding to death. I knew the risk I would have to take today, but I guess I felt like doing something useful with my life, since suddenly I hated the idea of wasting such a precious one like my own. I guess, if you really think about it, I do have a purpose.

To protect Zero.

Zero's head lifted up as he recognised the sweet scent of luscious blood. I could see his ruby irises even from a distance, walking closer to him while biting my lip and enduring the now dull throb of pain. I was basically giving myself over to him, but not entirely. Just enough to keep him alive and free of insanity.

"Drink...My...Blood..." I choked out, now dropping into his strong arms, begging him, pleading him to do what I asked.

"I-I can't." He breathed. I held his head with both of my hands, looking into his lustful eyes with a gleam of sapphire hope in my own.

"You can." I assured him, firstly putting my wrist against his lips so he would get a taste, then tilting my head so my neck was exposed.

"If it keeps you living, it's fine."

I was nervous, but happy that he wasn't really giving in. His animal instincts took over, but he was surprisingly gentle, licking and sucking the way a lover would. As his fangs bit agonisingly deep into my skin, I cried out in pain. I could hear my steady heartbeat in a rhythmic manner to Zero's.

The sting was erased by unexpected pleasure, sending a spark of ecstasy and a flood of warmth to my heart. This was something that I was really beginning to crave, like a drug, like water and food to the hungry, even more so than the stolen kiss.

_This sacrifice_. And this was just the beginning.


	10. A Spark Of Hunger

I felt tired after letting Zero drink my blood, but I felt relieved knowing that he was going to be ok. The wounds would heal quickly since I had Kaname's blood coursing throughout my veins. Ok, I don't exactly hate Kaname for what he did, since it is helping me and all, but I am still suspicious of him. He cares about me a bit too much, considering the fact that I barely know him. I guess the way he feels for me could be similar to how I feel for Zero, but that's besides the point. He's a Pureblood, and that means that he is capable of anything.

I spotted Zero in class today, and God did he look gorgeous; it was the first time I ever saw him look so healthy. Sitting down on the seat next to him, I flashed him a smile, but he did not recuperate. Instead I copped a glare and a him avoiding me the whole lesson.

I didn't get it. I was saving his life, not ending it. Doesn't he appreciate it? It saddens me; it's like he's condemning himself to hell or something. What could be so despicable to make him think of himself like some cold-blooded criminal? He can't control his urges, it's not his fault. I wish he would just see the light for once, like I'm beginning too.

I tried talking to him in the hallway, but he wouldn't look at me, his silver hair shading his eyes, his shoulders slouched like he couldn't be bothered with anything.

"Please talk to me." I said, touching his shoulder, hoping he would say something, anything to keep me from guessing.

"You think you're doing the right thing-" He broke off, his voice only just loud enough for me to hear through the high-pitched chatter of gossiping girls.

"-but you're only making me more of a blood-sucking monster." He turned his back on me.

"No. You're misunderstanding." I replied, my voice as soft as a feather.

"No, you're the one who is. You think you empathise enough to fully understand me. You think that this reckless sacrifice is going to work. But you're wrong. You're so wrong, Valeria. Why can't you see that? The more you try to help me, you're only going to get hurt. I'm a danger, I'm a beast, I'm a ravenous vampire that cannot be tamed. Now that you've been captured by my fangs, there's no way out for you now, and I just don't want to be the vicious killer that I am...I don't want to hurt you..." This was the longest speech I'd ever heard from Zero, and it mesmerised me. His tone was harsh, but filled with weighted emotion and sympathy that I doubt very few people have witnessed from him.

"Please...I don't deserve your kindness...You don't need to care for me so much-" He trailed off, his voice cracking like he was about to cry.

Although his tragic words had touched my tender heart immensely, I felt like slapping him. He did deserve my kindness. What he didn't deserve was the life that had been bestowed upon him.

"Love yourself more, Zero." I whispered, my cheeks becoming numb from the now-absent tears.

* * *

It seemed as though I had finally begun to put bits and pieces of my life together. I know where I stand now; Zero's suffering was one of many things that I could not endure. He needed to take from me what he needed to survive, and I was willing to give up as much as I possibly could to do so. My purpose is not being an invisible girl with a basket of complications, I am a girl who has a responsibility, an obligation, one I have so willingly brought upon myself. No matter what, I will always be there for Zero when he needs me. If he needs blood, I'll give what I can. If he needs a helping hand of support, I'll do that.

I have nothing else at this point in time to really live for.

Surprisingly, I didn't get a whole bunch of homework that night, so I got the opportunity to acquire some head-space. I could breathe with ease.

I decided to go for a stroll outside the gates of the academy for a while, just to get a feel of what it's like to not feel like I'm constantly behind bars. The wind was like a faint whisper calling out to me, icy and foreboding, the flock of pine trees swaying like they were dancing, free and wild and without fear. I always envied the night sky; stars twinkling like lights against the midnight sky, decorated with grey spiralling clouds that barely obscured the full moon.

It was beautiful, and it made me forget about a lot of bad things for a while.

"Lone wolf." Zero's husky voice ruined the moment, but at the same time I was happy to not be alone. A smile crept across my small lips, a feeling of joy replacing the strange foreign feeling I had in my stomach.

He came up to me, hugging me tightly, protectively, fiercely, like I was the only one he desired. Our eyes locked in a romantic gaze once again; his eyes were a lustrous lilac that burned into my swirling pools of turquoise, pulling me in a seductive manner.

The warm pit of fire exploded in my heart again, this time literally burning me to the core, making me feel a bit light headed, but it was a good light headedness, the kind that made you want to feel that way so you'd be swept off your feet like a princess would in a fairy-tale.

But this was no fairy-tale. It was reality. But for once, it didn't bother me.

With his hands entangling themselves in my hair, then trailing down my neck, my breasts, my waist...A raging desire surged forth, and something powerful took my mind over.

I touched his chest with my pale hands, reaching up to his neck, only just then realising that he had a tattoo crest there. Pushing aside that curiosity, I yearned for more of this feeling, this electric current of ecstasy; my heart was on fire, and I didn't intend on putting out the flames.

I guess to feel this way, I guess I can finally admit it.

_I love him._

This is what I've been living for, breathing for, fighting for ever since I first promised myself that I would be there for him. What we are now doing may be a sin against the world, but I couldn't care less. He was mine, and that's all that matters to me now.

When our lips touched, I swore that I was in heaven. Our soft, gentle movements synchronised perfectly with each others; this was more breathtaking than our first, his tongue now running wild with mine. We were both losing control.

Pulling back, I was gasping for breath, burying my face into his head, heat still overwhelming my senses. It was incredible. He held me like I was the most fragile and beautiful thing that ever existed. We both stood amid a breeze of ice in silence and in happiness; I was sure he was thinking the exact thing I was.

An abrupt scent filled my head. It was sweet, like sugar, like snake lollies and cinnamon doughnuts. I wondered what it was, I mean it's not like we were anywhere near a bakery. My face was implanted in his throat now, my tongue sliding over his pale flesh. What the hell was I doing? Stop, stop it, you lunatic! I was screaming inside my head, praying that I would just cut it out.

"V-Valeria!" Zero said, grunting in pain as I began to bite him despite the fact that I had no sharp teeth...or so I thought. I could taste a drop of blood, and I had to admit, it was absolutely delicious, almost intoxicating.

I was sucking now, gulping it down like I was famished.

"Shit, what the-" Zero held my shoulders with an iron grip, throwing me to the grassy ground in disgust. I was trying to contain my ragged breathing, trying to hold myself together as I realised what I had just done. I couldn't control it, it was like my sub-conscious was taking me over, like something was awakening inside me.

"Oh my god..." I shuddered in fear and guilt and rage and so many other emotions that were cracking me to pieces. I wiped my bloody mouth with my palm, examining the damage I had done.

Maybe I'm not worthy of life after all.


	11. Transitioning

The taste of blood was strong on my tongue; once being the most delicious treat, was now a fowl nightmare. What has become of me? I have not been bitten by a Pureblood vampire, so how could I possibly be a vampire? It made no sense. Nothing made sense any more.

My passionate session with Zero was almost completely wiped off from my memory. The pictures in my mind were dark and blurry, rushing towards the surface so fast it pounded against my head like steel; it was as if I was trying to squint through muddy water. I inserted my fingers into my mouth, touching each individual tooth.

They were as sharp as blades, the side top teeth shaped like pointed fangs.

I gasped in shock, almost slicing my own hand to shreds in shaking bewilderment. What should I do? In this state, I could...I could kill people. Driven by blood, who knows what the hell I'm capable of. It's funny, a few days ago I was accusing Kaname of being the bad guy. What if I'm also one of them?

A menace. A monster perhaps even worse than Zero.

Pain shot through my body like thousands of dull needles, electric shocks and a rush of fire all at once. I screamed in horror, flailing around like I was trying to escape being tied up, feeling pain no matter what I attempted. Biting my lip until it bled, pulling my legs to my knees like I was going to hurl, and dragging myself across the floor damped with sweat, everything felt effortless.

My screaming continued. This was living hell. Was this what Zero had experienced so many times?

Oh God, I prayed. Make it stop. Was this some sort of punishment for keeping a vampire alive? Did I really deserve this?

A knock to my door forced me back to this cruel reality. It wasn't Zero, since he would be literally kicking the door down by now. Who could it be?

The door opened with a gentle push, and I knew who it was when I caught his scent. Kaname.

"You seem to be in a difficult position." He stated the obvious, which pissed me off.

"No...Shit..." My voice was worn out and sore from the screaming.

"Are you in need of assistance?" He asked politely. What did he think he was doing? Was he deliberately mocking me for his own amusement? Or did he come to deliver me some answers?

"Don't pretend that you don't know anything!" I spat, clawing the floor with my finger nails, moving myself backwards, as far away from him as physically possible. I never felt this before, this sick revolting aura...

"I'm just here to clarify some things, and then I will leave." To my disgust, he walked and knelt beside me, twirling a lock of my frizzy hair, teasing me since I could not back away or hit him this time. Now I really felt like smashing his face against a brick wall. I guess I was beginning to feel just as much hatred for him as Zero did, which is strange because I felt differently yesterday. What has changed in me today?

"Yeah, '_clarify_'. Your reasons are unethical and ridiculous. I don't even understand why you're acting like you care so much, because you barely know me. You have your own life. I suggest getting on with it and leaving me be." My tone was harsh, and I was awfully glad it was.

"Whether you believe me or not, that is your choice. But I need you to mark my words." He replied, sounding a bit sinister although he had a smirk on his perfectly sculptured face.

"Fine." I breathed, howling as I felt something crack. Was that a bone...a ligament? Shit.

"It is simple. You are transitioning into a vampire." He said it so calmly, like he was looking forward to such monstrosity.

"Um, what!?" I replied, frozen. How the actual hell did this get triggered? I was not bitten by one of Kaname's_ kind_.

"Let's just put it this way, Valeria. You are different, you are not an average human being. You were born to two very powerful people, however you were a cursed child at birth, therefore this has now affected you...but let's not get into your family heritage right now. Right now, you need to understand this. Lusting for blood, you are not in control of your own body, so you are dangerous at this point in time. You are changing. Your body is moving, your bones are shifting and becoming stronger, your teeth are developing into full canine fangs, your emotions and senses are incredibly heightened, you're growing into a fully-fledged vampire."

I was speechless. I felt like laughing, because it sounded so absurd, but, at the same time, I felt like crying. Me? A vampire? Born to some mega-powerful lineage or something? Who are they? What else does Kaname know? Hearing it all now made me believe it.

"I knew you would react this way. But Valeria, hear me now. That is not everything. This transition must not be taken lightly. You have a decision."

"How?" I asked, surprised that I was actually going along with this. Was his blood affecting me?

No, this was my own free will.

It had to be.

"You need to be bitten by a Pureblood."

"What!?" No. That means I'd have to be bitten by Kaname. No. Freakin. Way.

"The fangs of a Pureblood can erase the pain of the transformation. If you are not bitten soon, the extra long transformation with only be prolonged, and you will die from it, if not that, you will kill yourself during the excruciating process."

So all in all, there is a long way and a short way out of this splintering maze. I can either go through a whole lot of pain and take longer to turn, or it can be painless and endurable but I have to be bitten by this freak.

No, I'd rather take the risk. I'd rather go through the pain and keep my distance. Becoming a suicidal psychopath was not on my agenda, especially after my promise to Zero. I wouldn't let myself become blinded by darkness too.

"Kaname." I spoke, trying to make my words sound strong, despite my body still lying on the floor in pure agony.

"I would rather do things my way. I understand the risk I am taking, but I do not care. Now, if you don't mind, I'd like you to leave." There it was again. That strong feeling of defiance. It must be a feeling that vampires feel around their so called 'masters'. I hated it. I hated what was becoming of me.

Kaname had a strange look of success, gesturing me to try to stand up.

"You can't even stand. Some risk you are taking." Kaname turned his back on me, touching the door handle with a careful grip.

"Why do you care?" I asked, not caring if I agitated him or not.

Kaname paused, looked at me with the eyes of a distressed lover. What would usually be butterflies in a teens stomach were spiders and crawling bugs in mine.

"Why wouldn't I care for someone I have known all my life?"

What...?

And just like that, he was gone, like he wanted to deliberately stick a cliffhanger on me. Maybe he enjoyed the games, my guessing, the amusing cards he plays.

* * *

After hours of constant tearing of bones and torment, my screams continued.


	12. Shackles

The worst night of my life had finally came to an end. The searing, bone-snapping pain subsided, being replaced by an uncomfortable tingle. Everything Kaname had told me seemed to suck the life out of me, drain me until I literally couldn't handle the truth.

"Zero, I'm really scared." I was quivering with fear as I had warned him about what was going to happen. He was silent, then gave me a peck on the cheek, making me blush a rosy pink.

"Let's go to the Headmaster", he said, and that was where we so nervously stood, hoping that Kaien could supply us with some sort of explanation.

"Hmm...I see...Oh that's not good...!" He was rummaging through his desk for some sort of paperwork as we had told him of what happened, muttering to himself about something I couldn't quite understand. Was it wrong for me to accuse the Headmaster of hiding secrets too? I blinked in astonishment as no panic attacks were occurring.

"I understand what you are becoming, however the process is different from an ordinary transformation, right?" He said, his bubbly voice deeper as seriousness kicked itself in.

I nodded, Zero doing the same. I could feel his heart beat, the blood that ran through his veins...Shouldn't it be human blood that I crave, or is it because of my strong feelings for Zero that are causing this vile longing to suck him dry? The remaining remnants of my own heart were pounding like a drum.

"I guess it is safe to conclude that your 'attacks' are now due to blood lust and nothing else. Last night was only you physically maturing into a vampire, but now, I'm afraid, the worst is yet to come. If you don't get bitten by a vampire of pure blood, who knows what will become of you..." He explained.

"And how the hell do you know so much about what Valeria is becoming!? What if she can control it?" I could feel Zero's anger rising; obviously he did not want to believe what Kaien was saying.

"There has been a case like this before, Kiryu. This girl was not born physically weak, and she had a stubborn mind. She ended up going insane, killing many vampires, breaking my coexistence treaty and forcing me to take action. Being a vampire hunter, I had an obligation to protect Cross Academy and the Hunter Association. And so I did. That girl has been dead for four years now. It wasn't easy piercing her heart..."

Violent and grotesque images flooded my mind. I imagined Kaien Cross wielding a weapon with a jagged edge, waving it left right and centre until he dug it deep into the targets heart. I imagined the vampire with her fangs bared, her eyes the colour of death, and her body falling to the ground in grey forsaken ashes.

"But, in Valeria's case, it would be best if she was to be behind bars until we fully understand what she is capable of."

What? Being locked up?

"No...Valeria isn't that other vampire, Kaien! She's stronger than that, she can get through this screwed up so-called curse! And plus, that bastard of a Kuran could be filling her head with nonsensical bullshit!" Zero was defending me as best as he possibly could, but I gave in. This was enough. I knew that deep down I was a danger; I needed to be contained.

"No, he's right, Zero..." I whispered, finally realising what I had to do, my hands balling into fists and my teeth biting my gums hard. Zero read my mind like an open book. I tried to not let myself empathise or sympathise...that seemed to always be a weakness of mine. I would give in to something or someone because I didn't want them to feel bad or hurt in any way. I guess I cared too much...It's good to be that way, but in a situation such as this, I needed to hold back and try not to feel. Maybe...Maybe the Headmaster was right.

"No, _no freakin way_, Valeria! I'm not letting you become tied and caged up like some sort of animal!" He was fuming,

"I _am _an animal, Zero...Isn't it for the best? I'll learn to control the cravings, the transition will slow down, and I'll be able to control myself in a way that won't put other people's lives at risk. Isn't that a better solution?"

"No, it is_ not_! I'm more of a beast than you, I should be the one in chains!" He retorted.

"No, I am a threat. I'm sorry Zero but this is the way it has to be. It's either that, or I die." I got up, looking at Kaien. He sighed with worry, taking off his glasses and putting a hand to my shoulder.

"I wish you well, Val." He said. _Val_? No one has called me that before. It spread icy goosebumps that raised the hair on my arms.

"I...I wouldn't let you...die..."

Zero had dropped his eyes to the floor like he was being weighted by some dark heavy void, not uttering a single word as I walked effortlessly out the door.

* * *

The rattling of steel made me flinch, but I was utterly prepared for this. I just hoped that Kaname and Zero didn't try to come up with some escape plan to bail me out. This idea was mine and mine alone. I know it may be reckless, but I would rather be loyal to Zero than be bruised by the teeth of bewitching royalty. This decision gave me the opportunity to think, to regain control of myself and to protect the one I love. I was aware of his hunger...but I was sure my blood could keep him stable until I was stable enough myself.

A rugged man with scruffy clothes finished tightening the chains my wrist with his muddy fingers, his odour just as bad as his attitude.

"Oi, hope ya never break free, filthy vermin." His voice was husky and harsh and sounded Aussie, giving me the instant vibe that he detested vampires like me. I presumed that he was a hunter.

Here I was, smack in the middle of the Hunter Association, in a large open room covered in smooth grey stone; cuffs restricted my hands, although the chains was long enough for me to move and not feel too uncomfortable. Surprisingly, the overall imprisonment felt bearable.

Finally, the man left, thick cigarette smoke trailing from behind him.

_Was it right to let this happen to me? _


	13. Recollection

I drifted between consciousness while enduring the burning sensation of lust within my throat. Scorching my insides, splitting images began appearing like the images from a 3D horror movie. These pictures flickered like an old black and white film, thrown in front of my eyes so hard my knees began to buckle as I stood against a cold corner. Amid the firing hurricane storming violently inside me, voices began whispering to me, like they were narrating the scene of pictures I was witnessing.

_Your blood...So invigorating...So utterly sweet..._

A tall slender girl was standing motionless, her wavy hair concealing her face and falling to the floor. Her chin lifted, and the image of her shook. Blood covered her elegant facial features, her chocolate brown eyes widening with both shock and fear and envy...And she pounced.

_Mine...It shall be...Mine..._

My head snapped up as if somebody was choking me, my hands flailing against the clattering chains, my screams echoing throughout this prison. Calm down. I thought, trying to soothe my senses. It's just a bloody hallucination. But I was still afraid. There was no way in Hell that I could get myself to breathe normally in his dreary place. A part of me actually regretted exiling myself here, but then again, I was glad. No one was going to get hurt, especially Zero. Judging by the powers I could possess, I wasn't sure how much of a beast I could become.

_That's right, keep thinking that. Embrace your true self. You are nothing but a blood sucking bitch. _

_Your instinct is to kill, to devour, stronger than any other vampire that now roams this earth. Consider yourself gifted with something so much more than immortality. _

More images flooded my vision like a slide show. This time I saw a much older woman, holding what looked like a baby in her fragile arms. Her eyes were filled with black tears, like she was regretting what she was about to do, like she was the most hateful person in the world. Blood stained that frame too, making it disappear into nothingness and being replaced by a pit of blackness inside my soul. I felt empty, like a piece of me wasn't there, like I was missing something important. What was it?

_Even she could not take you with her. However, she valued her own life more than your own. A sacrifice._

_Sound familiar?_

_You're just as reckless as she was. Sinful._

Who was she talking about? Who was that girl, that older woman, that baby? Who is talking to me?

A cackle of sinister laughter made me feel like yelling at the top of my lungs. My breathing became ragged as my frustration and anger increased.

"_What...are...you...talking...about?_" I prayed that I wasn't going insane. I prayed that I wasn't losing my sanity. And no, I was being anything but reckless. I was saving Zero's life...

_It's such a shame that you can't remember..._

"I don't understand why you are inside my head..."

_It's amusing to see the confusion bubble within you. It won't be long now until you explode with madness demanding to see the truth._

"Why can't you just...tell me?" My head was against the wall now, my hands grasping the icy stone, my nails nearly digging deeply into it. My strength was rising immensely.

_Well now, that wouldn't be very fun, would it?_

I sighed, a smile across my cracked lips. I was actually having a mental argument with someone that was most likely just a figment of my imagination. I really must be going psycho.

_This is not just a psychological game, Val._

Shortening my name like that...Why did it bring forth a shiver down my spine?

"It'd be so much easier if you just cleared things up for me. Maybe I would stop whining." I know I must of looked like some schizophrenic idiot from afar, but I suddenly didn't care. If this mystery person had all the answers to all of my questions, then what am I waiting for?

_Oh, don't you worry. I will soon enough. You'll probably see me soon, and my God you and I will have a great time. _

This was all beginning to creep me out. What started out as some bloody premonition is now ending up like some long-lost friends getting together.

_But what I said before was true, Val. _

_Your true self is something dark, something evil. _

_Don't forget it._

* * *

A shattering of glass a few rooms away awoke me. I saw a shadow through my blurred eyesight, fluttering my lashes until I could see crystal clear. Zero was suddenly in front of me-he must of broken into the association somehow-cupping my face with his cool hands, his eyes coloured with hunger.

"Why hello, _Val_." His husky voice mocked me, his minty breath hot against my neck as he snapped the chains in a matter of seconds.

"Ugh, not you too!" I snapped. I was already pissed off enough that he came here.

"It's payback for being a dumb ass." He smiled, swooping me up like a groom would his wife, and bolted out of the jail as fast as lightening.

We came to a long hall that contained nothing but prison cells...and I was at the end of them, like I was the most brutal of them all. Zero held me tightly against him, his hand gripping the handle of his gun, ready for anything.

"I knew you'd do this. I knew you'd ruin my plans with your own." I groaned. We walked silently from then on until we reached a window we could smash. With little effort, Zero and I cracked the glass with our fists. We were on the lowest level of the association, so we were now close to the forest; Zero held my hand, leading me towards it.

"Excuse me, Mrs '_Know-It-All_', at least I know how to keep you locked up without feeling like you're about to be killed by some ass hole of a hunter." I noticed he said 'Mrs' instead of 'Miss'. I blushed as red as a tomato. He got points for that. But what was he talking about? Why were we going into the forest?

"I had an even better plan all along, but being the stupid girl you are you wouldn't stay any longer to listen. You thought leaving me would keep me safe, but you know what? It hasn't. I've had to rip ten vampire's heads off these past few days...When you're around they refuse to follow because they know they would have to deal with Kaname." He looked like he just came out of an oven, but his gaze was so dreamy, almost sexy.

"Enlighten me. Where are we heading? Back to the academy?" I pondered, noticing how hard his grip on my wrist was, like he didn't want me to escape him.

"Nah, some place you'll be safe."

We passed a lake, and I ripped my hand from Zero's, running over to splash myself with refreshing water. I stared at my dreary rippling reflection, growling at how bad I looked. My hair was in knots, my black uniform covered in dirt and dust...

"Get over it." Zero complained with a grin.

"How far is the safe haven?" I said, getting edgy.

"Stop being a pest and I'll show you. Look over there." He gestured towards what looked like a cabin; it was greatly hidden behind a flock of large berry bushes.

"Um, ok, but seriously, what is the purpose of this? How the heck will I be able to control myself? What if I end up blowing up the place?" I knew I was annoying him, but that didn't matter.

"You'll be with me. I can help you. Trust me. I don't think we would ever be able to psychically kill each other" He seemed confident.

I was the exact opposite. I haven't told Zero any of my visions or even my encounter with the mysterious mind intruder, but I decided it would be wiser not to. He had enough on his plate to digest already. For us to even ditch the academy is against everything

Entering the house, I shuddered from the icy breeze.

_Pathetic girl..._

_It seems that this bloody and dangerous game is only beginning._


	14. Darkness Seeps Within

The biting atmosphere in this compact space was sinister, so much in fact that I clung tightly to Zero for support.

"How did you know about this place?" I wasn't sure exactly why, but this gloomy residence seemed to bring out the worst in me. It made me feel like balling my eyes out, like screaming, like tearing the place to shreds and burning it to ashes without a single regret.

It was very untidy; dust was collected in every corner, on every archaic bookshelf, every piece of torn furniture. It was as if the people who lived here before we came had had the same feeling I did. I ran my slender fingers across the line of novels, pausing as I eyed a dull golden one; flickering lights filled my head, forming into shapes, then fading like a switch was pulled. The same thing began to occur as I walked around with sealed lips, like some deja-vu or nostalgia spell was cast on me.

"A few months ago, before you came to the academy, I was so famished for human blood that I went out to hunt one night...luckily, I didn't end up tearing anyone to shreds." He explained, running his hand through his ruffled hair.

"I see." I replied.

"I found this place during that time. And now, with the way things are going, I thought that the best option was to bring you somewhere isolated where no hunter or vampire could find you."

"So you assume they will do something terrible to me if we were to go back?"

"Most likely. With the about of power you have, it wouldn't surprise me. It's best if we stay hidden. We're here for each other."

He hugged me gently, planting a soft kiss on my face. I responded with another kiss, this time against his lips. In that moment we both began passionately smooching, my arms wrapped around his neck, his hands skimming under my clothes and across my skin, the feeling overwhelmingly pleasant; the taste of his mouth was almost intoxicating.

"Zero..." I breathed, unlinking my fingers from his and suddenly collapsing to the ground with a throbbing pain incinerating me. Breathing in the stale air made me clutch my throat in instant agony; I was ravenous.

"Val, what's wrong!?" He was immediately by my side, grasping my shoulders, my wrists, both sides of my neck. The disco-like flickering and flashing kept tormenting my conscious state, as well as other feelings.

"Don't worry it's...it's just...hunger." But I was worrying. Every time I inhaled I felt like some dagger was stabbing into me.

Zero without hesitation dug his finger nails deep enough into his palm to draw blood, and swiftly pressed it firmly against my heated lips. I knew what he wanted me to do, but for some reason, I didn't feel bad for wanting it. It just felt natural, like every single fear I had for desiring it had washed away.

Something in me had snapped.

Feeling the hot fluid pulse so violently in contact with my heartbeat, my tongue traced its taste, guiltiness subsiding, and my dark side taking over. I tackled Zero to the ground, looming over him dominantly. My fangs began to grow, my lips becoming a snarl, and my inhuman abilities beginning to escape. I felt like my thoughts weren't my own, like I was being possessed by someone, except that wasn't the case...this was all me. That mysterious girl was right. I really am a horrific nightmare. It felt disgustingly good.

I felt some intense wave of power, like I was capable of doing anything I wanted in that moment. Instead of drinking what Zero had supplied, I begged to differ. I lunged straight for his neck; it was anything but romantic, it was brutal, my teeth sinking agonisingly into his skin like a wild animal would after catching it's prey. My objective wasn't to just take what I needed, but to take it all, to suck him dry.

"Val, hey, stop, you're gonna kill me!" Zero was breathing quicker than I was gulping down his blood, my growls only getting louder, my fangs getting deeper, my yearn getting stronger.

Zero was trying to push me off his body now, but his force was absolutely nothing compared to what was growing within me. I didn't need to be bitten to become a vampire.

That instinct was already born inside of me.

_Come on now, Val. Play fair. You wouldn't want to kill the one you love, right? It'd be a shame to see you building his grave before the real fun came along._

The voice must of done something to alter my ability to hold Zero down, since he suddenly managed to shove me against the wall. The plaster was so old that it was already covered in tiny cracks.

"Oh my god." I said in realisation, trembling in disbelief, my hands covering my bloodied face. I now know how Zero felt the first day he drank from me. I lost control...Blood was not only splattered on my hands, but stained on Zero's clothes too. I looked like some serial killer on the loose. My eyes were the colour of a rose, but not even close to one's beauty.

"I-I'm a m-monster...S-Stay a-way f-from m-me..." I stuttered. I was starting to become more afraid of myself.

"No, Val, you just need to adopt some self control." He panted on all fours on the ground, his hand covering the bite marks I so foolishly made.

"No. Wrong." I said, my alter-ego beginning to take it's toll again. I tried to hold it back as much as I could, but it sickened me to the core that I didn't have the courage to fight it off any more.

Zero could feel the darkness lurching too.

"I am a freaking monster!" I was screaming now, backing up towards the entrance. I couldn't take this; I was going to hurt him. A part of me wanted to, and if I couldn't fight it, then I had to run from this.

I have to escape.

"Don't leave, Valeria. They're already looking for you...If you go, they will not hesitate ripping your heart out. Please, stay with me. We can work this out together." He was trying so hard, convincing me with everything he had, even using his luminous puppy eyes to his advantage.

"If I stay, your life will be limited. If I leave, you'll be safe. I need to be alone...I need to figure this out myself. I'm doing this for your own good. I'm sorry."

Is it the right thing to abandon him again? Contemplating this made my stomach churn, but it seemed like the only option right now. Staying with him will only get him killed by my own hands...but if I leave with what little sanity I have left, there might be a chance for us both. For now, we need distance, space, reassurance that we can live peacefully without so many obstacles keeping us from playing this so-called game.

"Don't leave me again!" He shouted as I slammed the door behind me.

_Young love. So heart wrenching. Watching Val roll the dice like this really makes me want to join in. Maybe now it's time I shed some light on that delicate rose...But only after I crush her shrivelled petals._

* * *

I didn't look back, running until I saw a silhouette of a girl in the distance. I came to a halt, her figure metres away from me now. She was absolutely gorgeous, her eyes as bright as the sun, her smile wider than anything I'd ever seen before, her hair in curly locks that fell to the ground just as gracefully as her face.

"Hello. I believe we have met before." Her voice was like a bell chime, like glass, fragile and soft and the kind that rang in your ears minutes after she spoke. Her entire presence was intriguing, yet she was right...I felt like I knew her from somewhere before.

I remembered that I was still covered in blood, yet she didn't seem bothered by it at all, appearing almost thankful as she scanned my wretched being with her chocolate irises.

"Um, hi." I replied, trying to sound as calm as possible. My heart was still beating from the attack.

"My name is Yuki. You and I will have so much fun together."


	15. Yuki

With Zero left trapped and weak within the dark cabin, I stood in front of the most intimidating person I had ever met.

"Fun?" I breathed, hoping what she meant didn't imply bloodshed or disaster. She chuckled.

"Why yes, my dear Val." She spoke, her words spoken precise but strangely unrealistic, like she was a fake barbie star taken out of a television advertisement.

I still wondered why she called me "Val", since no one ever did. I've only had black and white visions of that nickname, memories that I hope aren't true.

"What do you mean? Who are you, and why do you act as though you've seen me before-"

"Yes, well it shall be time for that soon enough. You don't know how long I have waited for our fates to interwine." She licked her lips, her hands trailing down her thigh, like she was reaching for something. Focusing my steady gaze on her fingers, I realised she was gripping something what looked like shining metal.

With her knees bent and my own not bulging the slightest, she lifted her arm up and thrown the cylinder-like object, it's shape suddenly forming into something longer, sharper, like a blade, like a scythe. When it fell she caught it with both hands, gripping the weapon in front of her. Now she met my eyes directly, smiled, and sauntered forward to kill me.

Holy shit. What could I do? Here this strange lady was,who I had never in my entire life recalled seeing, bolting towards me like some psycho-maniac on drugs. How could I defend myself now?

"Stop!" I shrieked, holding my hands out, stretching my fingers as heavy tears began to prick my lashes, as I prepared for death to be bestowed upon me.

Wait. Where was the splitting pain?

Opening my eyes, my mouth fell wide open. Yuki was on the ground, on her knees, the dangerous weapon laid in front of her like nothing had ever happened. My hands were glowing magenta, exploding with unforeseen power. I almost felt like apologising for attacking her...

"You little bitch." She cursed, gasping for breath as if I had sucked her lungs out. I couldn't possibly be that powerful...could I? I stood in front of her, feeling a bit more confident now that I realised I could actually defend myself if I tried hard enough. Picking up her rod, I held it with my hands; it was as cold as ice.

An abrupt move from Yuki made me jump, one of her hands now clutching my neck, the other with the sharp steel touching my cheek. She pressed so it would cut into my skin slightly, like it was a tease for what was to actually come.

"You'll never understand my wrath because of your screwed up head. Those memories are there, just waiting to push themselves through...that's going to be tough pain." Her tone was filled with pain itself.

"It'd be so much easier if you just told me!" I felt like yelling and screaming and telling her how important it meant for me to understand my life for once. I always felt like nothing, like a nobody. I need to understand for once!

"Fine." She gave in surprisingly. I was intrigued, but also a little scared too. What if they aren't as I expected them to be?

"I'm your sister, Valeria." Her words almost made me choke on my own breath.

"What..." I realised that I was up against a tree trunk now, my arms constricted by some spiked vines that stuck into my flesh, but the piercings weren't the things that hurt. What hurt was knowing the truth for once.

"You thought that was surprising? There's more. Kaname is our long-life of a brother, and Kaien Cross your pitiful father. Kaien was with that bitch Juri Kuran, our real mother, not long after she left her bastard of a husband and my real father, Haruka Kuran, for him...although unfortunately they still lived in the same place together, since they had to protect their own lineage from harm and all." She obviously had a lot of family issues. I forced back a smile.

Now I understand Kaname's reasons...He wanted to protect me from Yuki. Maybe he had been doing that for longer than I thought. Maybe that's why I have so much power locked inside me that's waiting to be discovered.

Still being held against my will, Yuki continued to fill me in with her cruel tone.

"We all lived happily, as a family. Kaname was the oldest, and I was the one who was destined to be the Kuran Princess. Until you were born...everything changed for me since that day. You were born a human, a weak human, and it astounded them, but they felt obliged to do whatever it took to protect you. They knew you were a Pureblood despite the physical changes, but you meant something so much more to them then I was. My blood was no longer the purest of Kuran, and you, Valeria, were my replacement. Our parents cherished you more so than I, they spoiled you and treated you as if you were the only girl in the family. They looked at you with kind eyes, glaring at me with eyes of stone, like I wasn't theirs any more."

I couldn't believe what I was hearing, but I zipped my lips and listened.

"Even Kaname was too focused on feeding you his blood to even think twice about me. I was the outcast, and none of them even considered treating me equally. So, eventually, I had a plan. One snowy night, when Rido's vampires had come and mother was going to sacrifice herself for you, I told her not to. She listened, and in turn she went with father to fight the blood suckers I so foolishly sided with. Rido was my master who gave me the strength that our parents never gave me. I told mother that I would protect you if they were to die, but I lied. I put a spell on you to seal your memories so you would forget everything in that mansion. I hoped it would make you weaker for the day that I would take my revenge. Although you were young, you knew what was going on. You knew the pain I was hiding, but you, even my own baby sis couldn't sympathise." Her speech was breathtaking, literally. I realised that I was holding my breath the entire time.

"A-And our parents? What happened after that?" My voice was shaky.

"Oh, I took care of them. It wasn't easy, but with the help of Rido, I crushed their hearts. You saw that too, with your own innocent eyes. Sooner or later those memories are going to cut through your brain like a chainsaw. I'm going to enjoy watching that happen. Anyway, ever since then I vowed to become the legitimate Pureblood Princess." She didn't seem to have any ounce of regret within her, and it angered me. How could she do such a thing? Erasing my memories I could handle, but killing mother and Haruka? Despicable.

"And how do you intend on doing that?" I asked, my voice breaking. I felt like digging a hole and crying in it until I could cry no more. Yuki laughed so loud my ears began to thud, her fangs not becoming sharp but dull and jagged, her strawberry breath dangerously against my neck.

"Hehe, by sucking the imposter dry."

* * *

**Hey everyone! Sorry that I haven't posted in a couple of days, or written like this in a chapter for so long for that matter! I've just been a bit busy since it's the end of the holidays and such and I'm getting ready for school! XP**

**I'd just like to say thank you to all of the encouraging reviews, favourites and followers, I honestly didn't think I would get this many liking my story. **

**THANK YOU SO MUCH! Keep reading and reviewing, I love you girls/guys/aliens/whatever species you are! XD**

**Oh, and just a couple of questions you might want to consider answering. Do you like Valeria's character? Why/Why not? And what do you think of the new bitchy Yuki? LOL**

**Thanks again, Ta ta for now!**

_**Saphizcool**_


	16. Vanishing Feelings

Under the mercy of Yuki's razor fangs, I shifted my weakened body in hope of escaping her blood-consuming thorns. They wouldn't stop cutting into me as the Pureblood had her tongue lavishing my throat, growling hungrily with seeping anticipation.

I shut my eyes and held back a scream as her teeth bit fiercely into me. She did not drink from me the way an average vampire would; this bite was like poison, one filled with a bitter anger and a desire for vengeance. I could feel my blood being drained from my own body...but what was worse was the fact that I could hear it; it was the most revolting experience, but I could not run, hide, or defend. I was paralysed at my enemies alter.

A sudden electric shock began to push it's way through my veins; another kind of power was about to be unleashed. Yuki was struck fiercely like a lightning bolt, her fangs lifting and her howls of pain making me quiver.

"Oh, you are good, sister." She chimed playfully with her butt on the ground, not for a split second sounding worried, as if she knew for certain that she could win this fight. Her bubbly split personality began to make me feel incredibly pissed off. The vines unlatched from my wounds enough that I could stand steadily, and when I did, I reached for my side pocket.

I had a switch blade. She didn't know I was armed with a weapon; this was my chance. It was a hunter weapon I obtained from Zero at one stage. I love him for that.

"Yuki, you may be my sister, but you'll never be treated like one. I honestly think you should just get a life..." I found it fun to tease her. I guess that's the only thing we'll ever have that's even considered close to the ways of sisterhood.

"Val, Val, Val." She repeated, skipping towards me now, her hand still swaying the rod around like it was some harmless toy.

"Do you not understand my reasons? I was ignored for 10 years. Do you ever think that for a moment, you might empathise?" Her words cut, but not deep enough for me to give in.

She was wrong. The past was the past, and although she did go through a lot of isolation and distress during the time of my presence, it still gives her no right in hell to initiate revenge.

"Revenge solves nothing!" I replied, something burning one of my eyes. Was it a tear, or just a spot of dirt?

"It does. You just deliberately fail to feel the pain I'm feeling. Imagine if your entire family loved you one day, then hated you the next. Why, why can't you hear me out? You're just as bad as mum and dad were..." I could swear I saw her eyes becoming glassy, filling up with droplets of tears. Her voice was webbed with cold pain.

"No. Wrong. I'm sorry but...You're...Wrong..." I tiptoed over to her with caution, surprised that she was holding back an attack. With her head and her guard down, I dashed around her anti-clockwise, one of my hands wrapping around her neck and the other pinpointing the sharp steel against the opposite side of her throat.

Honestly, I hated the idea of this. Killing my own sister seemed just as sinful as her own actions, but I had no choice. I knew guilt would take me, but I needed to do this. She was a danger, a menace that had to be put to an end. Cross Academy could be in great danger with a vampire such as her. Blood crazy, she would do whatever it took to drink from me completely.

So I have to play this game safe.

"Maybe it's best if you live with the demons in hell." I whispered, my lips against her ear. I could feel her heart drum faster, her skin turning icier then it had been originally, her eyelids closing and her mind preparing for what was to come.

"Stop!" I heard a voice I would know anywhere; a voice as rough as cobblestone but as soft as velvet, a sweet husky voice that I would walk through fire for.

Zero.

"What..." I breathed in astonishment.

"Don't hurt her." He commanded. What the hell? What connection could he have with my sister? Then I remembered. The girl in the photograph Zero had kept in his dorm, that girl he never spoke about, even to me. It was her.

Sliding the knife back in my pocket, I looked at Zero in disbelief. But his eyes did not lock with mine. His eyes were almost forcefully on Yuki's, like I didn't exist for that moment, like she was the only girl he wanted.

"Yuki. I thought you were dead." His voice sounded the exact same way it did when he had kissed me that night. She smiled, but I could see the sinister thoughts behind it.

"No, Zero. That Kaien Cross Hunter didn't lay a hand on me. That was just a substitute." She was inches away from his face now, cupping his face with her hands, his purple eyes still wide with shock.

"I...I can't believe it." He spoke with muffled words, but he still did not run to me to see if I was fine. Instead, he embraced her, his arms wrapped around her so tightly I thought she was going to burst. A feeling of rage and sadness wrapped itself around my own body, but except it was anything but a hug. It was choking me.

"Zero, hey Zero, what's going on?" My words didn't affect him very much, but finally his face met mine.

"Nothing. Absolutely nothing. Just like you gave me." Now this voice cut ruthlessly deep, deeper than the sea, than anything I had ever felt.

"What!?" I yelled, confusion and every other feeling imaginable making me drown. This had to be a mistake. Yuki has to be mind controlling him or something, right? This cannot be happening, not now, not ever.

Zero's hands gripped my wrists so hard I felt like they would break, his glare chilling me to the core, the fire in his eyes creating a pool of waves in mine.

"She's back. I thought she was gone, that's why I used you to replace the growing abyss of peril that was eating me from the inside out...You made me forget my pain, and I thank you for that..."

I felt like tearing my own heart out right now. What the hell?!

"I loved you, but not as strongly as I did with Yuki. And now that she's back, my mind has become clear. I'm sorry, Val. But you're not good enough for me, and likewise, I'm not good enough for you."

Yuki didn't say a word, she just continued to smirk with that face that I would now gladly smash against a brick wall. I don't think she felt equally the same, I think she was just the seal of the hole in her heart too. Why did this have to be? Can feelings really vanish into thin air, like they were worth nothing from the very beginning, or is there a spark of hope left?

"So...we're like...breaking up?" Tears flooded my face now, real tears. Tears that explained the feelings that were pouring so loudly out of my heart.

"It's called a temporary standby until you're needed again." Yuki began to cackle now, and I suddenly did not have any emotion left to put up with her prissy face and her perfect body and snobby attitude. This was it.

Bolting towards her with my mind set, I slashed her collarbone as quickly as I could before Zero could stop me. After that first attack with Yuki's screams overflowing inside my head, I had had enough. I was on the ground, and Zero had his Bloody Rose gun out from hiding. This was not anything I had seen before.

Green rose thorns wrapped around his entire body while being attached to the pistol, his body standing protectively in front of Yuki. What made him go to such limits to keep her from harm?

What happened to me being the only one?

"Val. Leave!" His voice was harsh, and had a cutting edge.

"What about everything you've said to me?" I was crying badly now, Yuki's face buried in Zero's arms now, his face wild with fury.

"I love Yuki, Valeria."


	17. The Bloody Knife

Liquid pelted like acid rain against my aching cheeks. My heart felt as dark the forest I was now wandering through, as if I had not a drop of emotion left inside to care.

When the crunching of leaves below my feet would usually frighten me, they did not. When the silver moon above me was obscured by thick clouds completely, I didn't feel fear.

Even the memories of Zero did not seem to haunt me as much as they did before, after I had endured hours of wailing and screaming and scratching my wrists vigorously with my nails.

There was only numbness staining me now.

One scene between us forced it's way into my head.

"_Hey, Val..." Zero whispered, rocking my shoulders back and forth until I awoke from slumber. _

"_W-What..." I mumbled, half asleep, opening my eyes until the blurriness faded. _

_What would he possibly want at 3am?_

"_I'm a bastard of a vampire?" He asked with a disturbed tone, a strangely serious look on his face. _

_Why is he so desperate to ask a question like that at this hour?_

"_Um, no, you're not, you're fine, ok? Let me sleep. Night." I snored._

"_No, Val..." He tugged my arm sleeve and kissed my cheek tenderly, laying something warm in the palm of my hand and putting my fingers over the object._

"_What's that...?" I was awake in an instant then._

"_It's a special bracelet that is connected with my tattoo." He gestured to the black crest on his neck._

"_I see." It was beaded with real silver, diamonds decorating each individual sphere._

"_If I ever lose control and try to hurt you...Use it."_

A swarm of bats in front of me smashed the distant memory away. I touched the now ice-cold bracelet, ripping it from my arm and throwing it as far as I could. Having it in my possession was like having a part of him with me, and I just couldn't bear to look at it any more. Plus what would its use be? He already has hurt me physically, mentally and emotionally!.

I had dizzy headaches and burning twists in my empty stomach, crestfallen words refusing to escape my cracked lips, my mind torturing me with endless thoughts of sadness and anger and a sprawling idea lurking inside me.

I was a monster more monstrous than any other immortal being. Born of royal blood, I was most likely going to become the hunted, my lover slipping through my fingers and my past only a reminder of doom. What was valuable in my life now? Nothing. My life would rust eventually, and so would my will to live. With my own sister a betrayal, my brother a man with so many secrets yet nothing to offer, and my lover, my life purpose, why should I let my heart continue to beat?

"Pity me." I spoke, not to myself, but to God above me. Standing on the edge of small rocky cliff, I breathed in my last gasping breath, holding the already bloody knife below my breasts, and closing my eyes with a yearning to be saved.

Take me home. Sweep me away from this dark world of horror. I prayed, drawing an invisible cross sign from my head to my chest to my left shoulder to my right.

And then the dagger struck me, my breath pausing, my eyes widening from the pain I just inflicted upon myself. I could feel the wound pulse in my flesh, the scarlet liquid dribbling down, so bright and beautiful for such a violent sight.

"I...Love...You...Zero..." Why did I say those three words? Was it because he had utterly caused me to do this? No. It wasn't just him. It was everything piled on top of another. The red marks on my arms to the pricking tears welling up in my glassy eyes.

I was an empty soul.

An abrupt gust of wind made me fall to the rocky ground, my eyelashes fluttering for the last time in this life. The black shape of a wolf has come before me, forming into the shape of a slender man.

"Valeria. Your saviour has come."


	18. Kaname, My Brother

Just as I truly believed that those blood-stained curtains of my existence would close for good, my brother had to appear before me. His eyes were sparkling as always, but I saw a hidden diamond of sadness within them. What does he have to offer upon my dying body? I had already pull the slicing metal out, letting the crimson blood run, letting it glisten in the remaining moonlight.

"Oh, Valeria, what brought forth such despair?" The way he spoke made his voice seem slightly mocking, but I knew that wasn't so. His purpose was most surely not to see me die here. The brown cascade of his hair overshadowed half of his face, his black coat a soft material that I could smell faintly as he came to his knees, his hand cupping my cheek that had been scorched with tears.

"Reality." I said in a frenzy of troubled breathing. He looked empathetic, as if he knew how I was feeling. How would he know? He grew up with me, he knew what he was living for, he knew the family we lost. But I couldn't remember anything.

"_Those memories are going to cut through your brain like a chainsaw."_

Yuki's crude remarks had cluttered my mind long enough. I couldn't comprehend her desire for vengeance any more, nor her heart-wrenching reunion with Zero. But then again, maybe Yuki gave him something that I did not. Perhaps Zero felt complete with her, in a way that his heart felt content with the love and memories she gave him? I wasn't sure, but it didn't matter. Zero was no longer mine.

I always thought that when you fell in love, you didn't literally fall in the hole of love, I thought that it was always a pleasant feeling that never leaves you, one that enabled you to keep from being hurt. But I was wrong...I guess everyone falls in the dark pit of love at some point, screaming out for somebody to save them from the heartbreak.

"Listen to me." Kaname's words were firm, words he desperately wanted to let out. Red liquid continued to run like wet paint along my shattering flesh.

"The clock is ticking." I replied, my attempt at humour failing miserably.

"Yuki may be a selfish girl, and yes I did feed you my blood in the past to protect you from her, but trust me, her intentions are ones that must not be ignored."

What was he saying? Yuki is a menace seeking destruction. Nothing positive will come out of her actions. Is Kaname defending her? Why give her an advantage after giving me his own blood to keep me safe from her evil?

"She's our sister, Valeria. I understand that you loathe her because of what she has done, but I believe that her being the Pureblood Princess may be a way of saving our lineage. Since you do not have the power to rule, she is needed to take your place in order for the Kurans to carry on as a sovereign."

Bullshit. Absolute bullshit. Here I am, bleeding myself dry, and he's giving me a lecture on how much of a 'good' vampire she can be, how much she's 'needed' by all.

"So sucking my blood until death is considered good family etiquette?" I choked out, still on the ground coughing in quivering pain.

"No, I'm saying that she deserves to be given a chance. After all, she has been the lone wolf for most of her indecent life."

No. She was the lone wolf until she met Zero. My Zero.

"Help me. Help us all make things right again." He pleaded, sinking his fangs into his arm and pressing it against my mouth. No, his blood will only heal me and return me to the being that I was, the girl without a soulful higher purpose.

"I-I can't take it. I'm sorry, brother, but this is best for us all!" I stuttered, eagerly hoping that his decision would change. But I knew better. When Kaname said something, he by all means meant it wholeheartedly.

"Forgive me, Val, but I cannot allow you to wither into nothingness." His eyes glowed a purple colour similar to what had beamed from my hand when I attacked Yuki, a circle of light wrapping around my wrists and ankles and pinning me rapidly onto the rocky ground.

"W-What the!?" I said amid the pool of blood that was splashed upon my chest. Pulling away his hand he lifted it to his own mouth, sucking his blood then hovering his body over my own. With his face only inches away, his lips hit mine, the sweet, hot metallic tang filling my mouth, my nostrils, rushing down my throat in a forceful manner. The amount of strength he had to keep me down was unbelievable.

Finally, he released me from his grasp, a smile on his sinister face. Anger boiled on my healed flesh.

"It's a shame that you missed your heart, isn't it? Then your wish would have been granted."

I realised that when I had healed.

"Shut up. I'm already pissed off enough. Why did you just do that? Did us being family suddenly slip your mind?" I asked.

"No, it just seemed necessary."

I hated the fact that a smile was still glued across his scarlet lips. Standing motionless, his burning irises turned coal black, eyeing me with such an intensity that I felt like I was going to faint. On my two feet, I began backing away with my hands across my stomach. No signs of infliction were present. What did he gain out of his? Yeah, sure we were related, but didn't I have a right to free will?

"Answer me, Kaname. What made you want to become my personal superman?"

"I believe we are all on the same side, whether you think so or not. I couldn't just let a girl of royal blood die so quickly."

"Cut the crap. What are your intentions?" I pressed, eagerly awaiting his answer without him beating around the bush.

"I want you to side with me. Forget Zero. We can save our family, destroy the true evil behind the scenes, and reclaim the throne."

The true evil? Isn't Yuki enough to swallow? How would she even agree to us ruling with me still alive and breathing? As for Zero, I could never erase him from my mind, not in this life.

"What evil do you speak of?"

"He is the one who ruined all of our lives, including Yuki. The reason why all darkness has spiralled within us is all because of this one man."

"Who?"

"My uncle, Rido Kuran."


End file.
